Antibursting device for pipes



Oct. 17, 1944. w D TlCKEL v ANTIBURSTING DEVICE.FOR PIPES I Filed June11, 1943 Fig 2 9'3 INVENTOR.

Patented Oct. 17, 1944 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,360,596ANTIBURSTING DEVICE FOR- PIPES Walter D. Tickel, Norman, Okla.Application Junel-l, 1943, Serial-No. 490,534

' 4.0laims. (01. 138-28) My invention relates to anti-bursting devicefor pipes, especially adapted to protect pipes, tubes, coils and thelike against bursting due to freezing at low temperatures.

The principal objects of my invention are to provide a device of thischaracter which is positive in action, simple and inexpensive. inconstruction; new, novel and easily installed; which is strong, durable,reliable and of evident utility; which cannot easily get out of orderand is efficient for the purposes for which it is intended; to providea. device forgiving complete protection against internal expansion dueto freezing; a device having anti-burst air pockets with male and femaleends, the said air pocket being made in short units of any convenientlength adapted to be coupled together and extended the full length ofthe pipe being protected against bursting; a device which may beinserted in heating radiator coils, pipe coils and the like which aresubject to freezing, in which case the air pocket units may be securedtogether in sets by means of clamps; to provide a device, the said airpocket unit of which is substantially an ellipse in cross-section, madeof identical halves seamed along their longitudinal edges, the male andfemale ends forming a tight fit and locked in place by means of lock fitprojections and sockets, to provide a retrieving spring within the airpocket for returning the same to normal shape when the pipe or coilthaws out.

With these and other objects in view, my invention consists of theconstruction, novel features and combination of parts hereinafter morefully described, illustrated in the accompanying one-sheet drawing andpointed out in the claims hereto appended. Various changes in the form,proportion, size, shape, weight and minor details of construction,within the scope of my invention may be resorted to without departingfrom the spirit or broad principle of my invention or yielding any ofits benefits.

In the accompanying drawing Figure 1 is a view showing a complete airpocket unit within a sectional part of a pipe and a fragment of a likeunit at the male end thereof; Fig. 2 is an elevational view of a groupof air pocket units clamped together; Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectionof an air pocket unit; Fig. 4 is a perspective View of the retrievingspring; and Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the clamp.

In the following description like reference numbers designate like partsin all the figures, and it'is to be understood that the drawing is to beinterpreted as being illustrative and not restrictive.

One embodiment of my invention is shown as follows: The numeral Iindicates a pipe in which is positioned my anti-burst air pocket unit 2having a female end 2-11 and a male end 2-d. I

provide a female end'seal 3, shown in section at 3-a. Within the femaleend. 2a the projections. 2-b are adapted to. seat in. the lock fitsockets 2c on'the male endv and lock the antiburst air pocket units 2-together as they are inserted in the pipe l:. As many of the said units2 may be coupled together and inserted: into. the pipe I asarenecessar-y to protect it against bursting. Spring- 4is-po'sitionedwithin unit 2 midway of its ends and is adapted to expandthe said'unit 2: to its original shape when thepipe l thaws out.

The air in the said; unit 2' will be compressed to equalize theincreased volume within the pipe i due to freezing so that the saidcompressed air plus the energy stored in spring 4 will return the unit 2to its normal shape and size. The said unit 2 may be made of anysuitable material such as metal, plastic and the like. Unit 2 will bemade rigid enough so as to be effected only slightly or not at all bythe norma1 pressure of the liquid within pipe I As shown in Figures 2and 5 my anti-burst air pocket unit 2 (the sectional view Fig. 3 ofwhich is shown on the line 33 of Fig. 2), may be grouped together insets by means of clamp 5 and rivets 5-a for insertion in the coils ofradiators or the like.

' As can readily be understood from the foregoing specification, myanti-burst air pocket unit, 2 can be made in various sizes and lengthsto fit pipes as installed in the home, such as bath rooms, kitchens,laundries, etc. The householder is relieved of all worry and expense dueto sudden unforeseen change in temperature as my device is made a fixedpart of the plumbing installation.

The same is true for the plumbing pipes in hospitals, oflice buildingsand similar structures. Untold damage and expense is incurred bybursting pipes in addition to the cost of protective means used toprevent the damage. As proof of the efficiency of my device thefollowing experiment was carried out: Two identical pieces of a pipewere filled with water and packed in dry ice,

be noted in Figures 1 and 3, the two halves being identical, only onedie will be needed in the manufacture of my unit 2, which means a savingin the production of the same.

Having thus fully disclosed my invention what I claim as new and desireto secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In an anti-burst air pocket device comprising a plurality ofanti-burst air pocket units arranged in series, each unit having maleand female ends, means on the said ends for locking the units together,internal means for restoring each unit to its original shape, the saidunits being made in various lengths so as to protect various runs ofpipe without cutting any unit.

2. In a device of the class described, in combination, a plurality ofanti-burst air pocket units arranged in series, each anti-burst airpocket unit being substantially elliptical in cross-section, conformingin part to the inside of the pipe in which it is placed, the units beingmade varying lengths to fit the various runs of pipe without cutting anyunit, the said unit being formed of identical halves, means for unitingand hermetically sealing the said halves, male and female ends formedthereon, means for locking the units together and internal means forrestoring the pipe without cutting any unit, the said unit being formedof identical halves, means for uniting and hermetically sealing the saidhalves, male and female ends formed thereon, internal sealing meanswithin the female end, means for locking the said ends together andinternal means for restoring the said unit to its original shape withinthe pipe which is being protected.

4. In a device of the class described, a plurality of anti-burst airpocket units arranged in series, each anti-burst air pocket unit beingof substantially elliptical cross-section conforming in part to theinside curvature of the pipe in which it is placed, the units of theseries being made in varying lengths to fit the various runs of pipewithout cutting any unit, the said unit being formed of identicalhalves, means for uniting and hermetically sealing the said halves, maleand female ends formed thereon, internal sealing means Within the femaleend, means for locking the said ends together, clamp means for securinga plurality of the said series of units together for protectingradiators and the like and internal means for restoring each of the saidunits to its original

